Methods, systems, and computer program products for binding attributes between visual components

• US 8,780,130 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cypress Lake Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sajous, Wesner
• Application Number:
  US12/956,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 345/581, 345/589, 345/619, 345/360, 345/501, 345/538, 345/156, 345/168, 345172-173, 345/175, 345/179, 345/620, 345623-625, 345/629, 709201-203, 709217-218, 709/219, 715/200, 715/273, 715/275, 715/700, 715733-734, 715/751, 715/760, 715763-764, 715/864, 715860-861, 715/843, 715/845, 715/851, 715855-856, 715/828, 715/829, 715/830, 715/833, 715/781, 715/784, 715/788, 715/792, 715794-804, 717107-109, 717113-114, 707/705, 707/758
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for binding attributes between visual components. A first visual component, including a first presentation space for presenting first data by an operating first application, is detected. Binding information, for the first application, is identified that specifies a mapping between a first visual attribute of the first visual component and a second visual attribute of a second visual component including a second presentation space for presenting second data by a second application. A change to the first visual attribute is detected. In response to the detection of the change, change information is automatically sent to change the second visual attribute according to the mapping.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

presenting, via a touch screen, at least one menu including a plurality of interface elements including a first application interface element associated with a first application and a second application interface element associated with a second application that is separate from the first application;

detecting, via the touch screen, a first user input in connection with the first application interface element associated with the first application;

in response to the first user input, presenting, via the touch screen, a first visual component in a first presentation space for presenting first data by the first application;

detecting, via the touch screen, a second user input in connection with the second application interface element associated with the second application;

in response to the second user input, presenting, via the touch screen, a second visual component in a second presentation space for presenting second data by the second application, the presenting being based on a mapping between a first visual attribute of the first visual component and a second visual attribute of the second visual component in the second presentation space for presenting second data by the second application, such that a first border of the first visual component is mapped to a second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component;

detecting, via the touch screen, a first change to the first visual attribute by detecting a third user input corresponding to the first border of the first visual component; and

in response to detecting the first change, automatically changing the presentation, via the touch screen, of the second visual attribute according to the mapping, such that the first border of the first visual component is mapped to the second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first visual attribute and the second visual attribute identifies at least one of a font, a color, a location in a presentation space, a size, a shape, a measure of time, a z-value, a transparency attribute, a shading, a pattern, a line thickness, and an attribute of a background.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first visual attribute and the second visual attribute is identified by attribute information received in response to a user input.

4. A system, comprising:

logic for presenting, via a touch screen, at least one menu including a plurality of interface elements including a first application interface element associated with a first application and a second application interface element associated with a second application that is separate from the first application;

logic for detecting, via the touch screen, a first user input in connection with the first application interface element associated with the first application;

logic for, in response to the first user input, presenting, via the touch screen, a first visual component in a first presentation space for presenting first data by the first application;

logic for detecting, via the touch screen, a second user input in connection with the second application interface element associated with the second application;

logic for, in response to the second user input, presenting, via the touch screen, a second visual component in a second presentation space for presenting second data by the second application, the presenting being based on a mapping between a first visual attribute of the first visual component and a second visual attribute of the second visual component in the second presentation space for presenting second data by the second application, such that a first border of the first visual component is mapped to a second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component;

logic for detecting, via the touch screen, a first change to the first visual attribute by detecting a third user input corresponding to the first border of the first visual component; and

logic for, in response to detecting the first change, automatically changing the presentation, via the touch screen, of the second visual attribute according to the mapping, such that the first border of the first visual component is mapped to the second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component.

5. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

code for presenting, via a touch screen, at least one menu including a plurality of interface elements including a first application interface element associated with a first application and a second application interface element associated with a second application that is separate from the first application;

code for detecting, via the touch screen, a first user input in connection with the first application interface element associated with the first application;

code for, in response to the first user input, presenting, via the touch screen, a first visual component in a first presentation space for presenting first data by the first application;

code for detecting, via the touch screen, a second user input in connection with the second application interface element associated with the second application;

code for, in response to the second user input, presenting, via the touch screen, a second visual component in a second presentation space for presenting second data by the second application, the presenting being based on a mapping between a first visual attribute of the first visual component and a second visual attribute of the second visual component in the second presentation space for presenting second data by the second application, such that a first border of the first visual component is mapped to a second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component;

code for detecting, via the touch screen, a first change to the first visual attribute by detecting a third user input corresponding to the first border of the first visual component; and

code for, in response to detecting the first change, automatically changing the presentation, via the touch screen, of the second visual attribute according to the mapping, such that the first border of the first visual component is mapped to the second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the at least one menu is part of a desktop.

7. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the at least one menu is part of at least one of the first application and the second application.

8. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the interface elements include at least one of controls and indicia.

9. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the second visual component fills any space external to the first visual component.

10. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the second visual component completely fills any space external to the first visual component.

11. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first user input, the second user input, and the third user input includes dragging.

12. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first application and the second application are operating during each instance of the detecting.

13. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first application and the second application are network applications.

14. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first application and the second application are network applications include network applications that are associated with at least one web service and are capable of dynamically retrieving data from at least one database based on requests.

15. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the presenting the first visual component includes changing from a minimized state to a maximized state.

16. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the presenting the first visual component and the presenting the second visual component includes changing from a minimized state.

17. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the space includes a largest space.

18. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the mapping is carried out utilizing binding information.

19. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that a first size of the first visual component and a second size of the second visual component are symmetric, in response to the second user input.

20. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program product is operable such that a first size of the first visual component and a second size of the second visual component are asymmetric, in response to the third user input.

21. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the computer program product is operable such that the third user input includes dragging the first border of the first visual component, such that a first movement of the first border is mirrored or matched by a second movement of the second border, and a first size of the first visual component and a second size of the second visual component are non-symmetric.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device including a touchscreen, the mobile device configured for;

presenting at least one menu including a plurality of interface elements including a first application interface element associated with a first application and a second application interface element associated with a second application that is separate from the first application;

detecting a first user input in connection with the first application interface element associated with the first application;

in response to the first user input, presenting a first visual component for presenting first data by the first application;

detecting a second user input in connection with the second application interface element associated with the second application;

in response to the second user input, presenting a second visual component for presenting second data by the second application, the presenting being based on a mapping between a first visual attribute of the first visual component and a second visual attribute of the second visual component, such that a first border of the first visual component is mapped to a second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component;

detecting a first change to the first visual attribute by detecting a third user input corresponding to the first border the first visual component; and

in response to detecting the first change, automatically changing the presentation of the second visual attribute according to the mapping, such that the first border of the first visual component is mapped to the second border of the second visual component, and the second visual component at least substantially fills any space external to the first visual component.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the at least one menu is part of a desktop.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the second visual component fills any space external to the first visual component.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the second visual component completely fills any space external to the first visual component.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first user input, the second user input, and the third user input includes dragging.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first application and the second application are operating during each instance of the detecting.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first application and the second application are network applications.

29. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first application and the second application are network applications include network applications that are associated with at least one web service and are capable of dynamically retrieving data from at least one database based on requests.

30. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the presenting the first visual component includes changing from a minimized state to a maximized state.

31. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the presenting the first visual component and the presenting the second visual component includes changing from a minimized state.

32. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that a first size of the first visual component and a second size of the second visual component are symmetric, in response to the second user input.

33. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that a first size of the first visual component and a second size of the second visual component are asymmetric, in response to the third user input.

34. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that the third user input includes dragging the first border of the first visual component, such that a first movement of the first border is mirrored or matched by a second movement of the second border, and a first size of the first visual component and a second size of the second visual component are non-symmetric.

35. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus is operable such that a first application object of the first application is capable of being dragged and dropped in the second visual component of the second application for being operated upon by the second application.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of a notebook computer, a tablet computer, or a handheld device.

37. The apparatus of claim 22, where the mapping results in a correspondence.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first visual component is capable of being presented in response to the first user input, before the second user input is detected.

39. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first visual component is capable of being presented in response to the first user input, after the second user input is detected.

40. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first user input is received before the second user input.

41. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the first user input is received after the second user input.

42. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the detecting the third user input is capable of including detecting a touching of the first border.

43. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the detecting the third user input is capable of including detecting a touching of a toolbar.

44. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the detecting the third user input is capable of including detecting a touching of a slider.

45. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is operable such that the detecting the third user input is capable of including detecting movement of a control corresponding to the first border.